


Queen's Prerogative

by misura



Category: Iskryne Series - Elizabeth Bear & Sarah Monette
Genre: Fade to Black, Getting Together, M/M, No Plot/Plotless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 22:50:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17313332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Skjaldwulf and Vethulf receive an unexpected late visitor. (Well, two visitors, strictly speaking.)





	Queen's Prerogative

Skjaldwulf never knew, after, what had changed Isolfr's mind on the topic of lying down with men rather than women; there had been a hard winter, preceded by a summer's hard fighting against the Rheans, and suddenly, both Kjaran and Mar had sat up, ears twitching, looking at the as yet closed door.

Vethulf had been the one to open it, revealing Isolfr and, of course, Viradechtis, who swept into the room as if she owned it (as she might, were she only to ask, so fair enough), leaving Isolfr, her brother, standing by himself in the doorway.

_Shy_ , Skjaldwulf had called him to Vethulf once, and he saw some of that shyness now, mixed with emotions he barely dared to name, sure that by doing so, he would prove them false, illusion. Wishing something to be true had never yet made it so, after all, and Isolfr had made plain his feelings more than once, had, in fact, chosen to give his wolf-jarls a room of their own, rather than have them share his.

Thus, this could not possibly be what it looked like, what Skjaldwulf's hopeful imagination wished for.

Had it not been for Viradechtis, he might have suspected a disaster, or a sudden development, at least, something requiring a wolf-jarl's attention in the middle of the night.

"You're letting in the cold," Vethulf said, though if it was true, Skjaldwulf barely felt it.

Isolfr took a step back. Viradechtis butted her head at Mar to make him move.

"Isolfr," Skjaldwulf said, feeling as tongue-tied as a youngster struck by puppy-love. "Come in. If you wish. You are welcome."

Viradechtis sniffed, as if to say, _I should hope so, given that he is your wolf-sprechend and you only his wolf-jarls._ Kjaran whined a little, softly, as if resenting the fact that it had been Mar whom Viradechtis had made give up his spot, rather than him.

Vethulf blinked, then flushed in a way Skjaldwulf had never seen on him before. "You - yes. Of course."

"I have no wish to come between you," Isolfr said. "Nor to - to venture where I am unwelcome."

"If only you'd witnessed any of our arguments, you would know how badly we need someone in between us, he and I," Skjaldwulf said, relieved to find his tongue able to move again, and well enough, he thought, to make of this what he might, to win Isolfr's company, at least for a night. "In fact, I dare say that in between is the only place where you might find some peace."

Vethulf scowled but, for a miracle, kept his mouth shut rather than argue.

Isolfr stepped forwards. Skjaldwulf suppressed a desire to jump out of bed and slam shut the door, ensuring Isolfr would stay inside. "I - my sister complains of my cold toes."

Viradechtis grunted. From Mar, Skjaldwulf sensed amusement-fondness-caution-warning.

"We'll be glad to warm your toes for you, Isolfr," he said. "Your company could never be unwelcome."

Vethulf looked as if someone had hit him over the head - except far less angry than Skjaldwulf had seen him look when that very thing had happened, even though that had been almost certainly an accident.

"I - " Isolfr blushed, briefly, then appeared to steel himself, raising his head and looking at the both of them pale and determined, and Skjaldwulf felt that too familiar pull, that feeling which had led him to try for wolf-jarl, though the gods knew he had never wanted the job.

Only Isolfr, and now, it seemed he might get his wish after all but having given up on it.

"I will lie down for you. Both of you. If you wish it."

Vethulf fell back into bed. Skjaldwulf did what he might to keep his wits. "And what do you wish yourself, Isolfr? For, you see, with three of us here, there is no need for anyone to do something he had rather not, when another might easily take his place and enjoy it better besides."

He had wondered, as had Vethulf, what it might be like, to lie down for Isolfr. Had wondered, also, what it might be like to have Isolfr in his bed without the wolves, without the mating to heat their blood. All these fantasies he had thought locked away and buried safely, having exchanged them for the reality of Vethulf instead, who was passionate and clever and willing in a way Isolfr was not.

"At the moment, I believe I may lack the experience to have a preference," Isolfr said, slipping out of his clothes, and Skjaldwulf abruptly realized, in a way he hadn't before, that this was happening in truth, and not a one-night event only either.

"A lack of experience can be fixed, though I dare say it might take us a bit longer than solving the problem of cold toes," Skjaldwulf said.

Vethulf raised his head, looking ready to bolt. It would have been amusing, except that a man on the verge of panic was a man prone to make mistakes, and where any misstep now might cost them Isolfr, Skjaldwulf preferred not to take any risks they need not take.

_And yet, it seems I must._ Easy enough, to reach out and claim Vethulf's mouth with his own, as he had many times before. Usually, it was only the wolves watching, or not-watching, as the mating of humans held far less interest to the wolves than their own.

Isolfr moved, as Skjaldwulf had gambled he would. Stripped naked already, the cold if nothing else would propel him towards the warmth of the bed.

"Kiss him, you fool," Skjaldwulf muttered, as he and Vethulf broke apart.

Vethulf was breathing hard, but at least he no longer looked ready to run, instead looking at Isolfr, who showed just a hint of a smile, still more shy than reserved or reluctant.

As Vethulf reached for him a little clumsily, Skjaldwulf tried to feel pleasure in the contrast of Isolfr's paleness, Isolfr's near-white braids and Vethulf's fire-hair, to experience contentment in the knowledge of joy yet to come.

Instead, he was surprised by a stab of sheer desire - not merely to join in but also to watch, to simply sit back and bear witness as Isolfr reduced Vethulf to speechless begging and mindless pleasure, or perhaps the other way around. Perhaps both at the same time.

_This may all work out unexpectedly well._

From where she was holding court, Kjaran to one side and Mar to the other, Viradechtis gave him a smug look as if to say, _Was there ever any doubt?_

Then, of course, either Isolfr or Vethulf decided he was not to be permitted to observe in peace after all, and things after that became rather blurry, though far from unpleasantly so.


End file.
